Melksham's weekend fun is spoiled by ‘idiots'

Mellksham's police sergeant has hit out at the “unacceptable” behaviour in the town on Saturday, as nine people were arrested and “feral children” ran amok.

Two men, DJs at the Party in the Park music festival, were arrested.The pair, both local, were reported to police by onsite security, and arrested on suspicion of possessing cannabis and cocaine, with intent to supply. They have both been released on police bail, pending inquiries.

Others outside the park were arrested for sexual assault, theft, assault and a public order offence.

Inspector Matt Armstrong spoke to Melksham Town Council on Monday about the policing, during which his 18-strong staff were stretched while trying to control fights which broke out in the town.

He said: “There was one arrest last year, but this year was very busy, with large numbers of people in the town and what were described to me as ‘feral children’ running around.

“The drug arrests were disc jockeys at a children’s disco, and that’s not acceptable and I am not going to tolerate that.

“I want to work with the organisers of both (organising) committees to make this a really nice event to attend.”

Elsewhere in the town a man was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman near the river; five people were arrested following an assault on a woman and the theft of a handbag; and later in the evening a man who had been ejected by staff at The Tavern, Market Place was also arrested for a public order offence.

Police sergeant James Williams said: “There were probably about 100 kids that weren’t inside Party in the Park, but were hanging around the edge of it, and a few of them were involved in fights in and around the park. As soon as a fight kicked off everyone rushed to that area.

“I would like to see a fence around the whole park, so there is no no-man’s-land around the edge.

“Inside it was very well organised; it was just ruined by idiots around the outside.”

Ipsoregulated

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